If you're looking for a seasonal, sophisticated and delicious cocktail for the holidays, this pomegranate martini will do the trick. It's quick, easy, and you'll likely have most of the ingredients already.
This recipe is light, fruity, and totally perfection for a holiday cocktail party. You can even make it in batches beforehand (which is key, if you're hosting).
A pomegranate martini is fresh, fruity, flavorful, and perfect for the season. Not only that, but it looks absolutely gorgeous!
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Frequently asked Questions
A pomegranate martini is sort of a take on a classic martini, although technically it's more closely related to a Cosmo. This cocktail doesn't include any vermouth (a classic martini does), and it adds pomegranate juice and some citrus.
Cointreau is a type of orange liqueur, similar to Triple Secc. You can use either in this recipe. The orange plays beautifully off the pomegranate.
You can, and it's good, but it's a pain in the but. You have to squeeze the juice out of the seeds, which takes a ton, and also forever, and honestly, I've not found it to be worth it. Just use pomegranate juice from the store.
Why You're Going to Love this Recipe
- It's GOREGOUS. Seriously. It looks so pretty. I amped it up a bit by adding some edible glitter, but it looks beautiful regardless.
- It's got great balance. It's sweet, tart, refreshing, and overall just perfect.
- It's seasonal! Pomegranates are in season this time of year, making it perfect for Christmas.
- You can make it ahead of time, and in batches.
- It's really, really easy.
Ingredients
This ingredient list is what I love about this cocktail. Simple, easy, no surprises.
- Vodka: you can also use gin or rum - both are great in this drink.
- Cointreau: this is an orange liqueur, you can use whatever you have on hand (like Triple Secc).
- Pomegranate juice: where we're getting a lot of the sweetness and flavor from.
- Simple syrup: for a little added sweetness
- Lemon juice: the tart to compliment the sweet flavor. You can also try lime juice if you'd prefer.
How to Make A Pomegranate Martini
Again, this is one of the easiest cocktails to make. Just get your shaker out and you're good to go! Note: if you don't have a cocktail shaker, anything with a lid is fine - even a mason jar! If you want to jazz it up a bit, try out this orange liqueur recipe instead of traditional Cointreau or Triple Secc.
Step 1: Fill your Shaker
Fill your cocktail shaker half full with ice.
Add your ingredients.
Step 2: Shake
Shake the whole thing for 30-45 seconds, until it's very cold (I can barely hold on to it at this point).
Step 3: Serve
Strain the cocktail into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon slice, orange slice, or orange peel, whatever you prefer.
Cheers!
Note: for batching and making head, see below.
Batching & Making Ahead
To make this ahead of time, here's what you're going to do:
Combine in a pitcher:
- 1 ½ cups of vodka
- ½ cup of Cointreau
- 1 cup of pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup of simple syrup
Give it a stir, and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to serve!
Tips & Tricks
- If you want to make this drink extra bougie, here's some edible glitter.
- You can swap the vodka for gin or rum, it's awesome.
- You can also switch the lemon juice for lime juice for a different flavor.
- As with almost all cocktails, you can play with the ratios in this. If you like it sweeter, add more simple syrup. More tarte - add more lemon. Totally up to you.
Other Awesome Holiday Cocktails
📖 Recipe
Pomegranate Martini
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker I prefer the Boston shaker.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz vodka
- ½ oz Cointreau or any orange liqueur
- 1 oz pomegranate juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ¼ oz lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds, until the drink is ice cold.
- Serve in a martini glass, garnished with a fresh orange slice, or a slice of orange peel.
Video
Notes
- If you want the sparkly cocktail, this is the edible glitter I used!
- You can also use rum or gin in this cocktail instead of vodka. Totally delicious.
- 1 ½ cups of vodka
- ½ cup of Cointreau
- 1 cup of pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup of simple syrup
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Cara! I'm a food writer, journalist, and recipe developer. I'm obsessed good food, good wine, good cocktails and entertaining. I've picked up a few tips over the years, and love sharing them with others.
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